Adjustable stand



A. CAROGANA ET AL Feb. 10, 1959 ADJUSTABLE STAND 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 25, 1954 FIG. 3

. INVENTORS W a M BY FIG.

1959 A. CAROGANA ET AL 2,873,079

ADJUSTABLE STAND 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25, 1954 INVENTORS ANTHONY CAROGANA GUS LEVY AND FRANK ZAREL BY M MM ATTORNEYS United. States Patent ADJUSTABLE STAND Anthony Carogana, Gus Levy, and Frank Zarel, New

York, N. Y., assignors to American Photographic Instrument 'Co., Inc, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 25, 1954, Serial No. 418,597

10 Claims. (Cl. 248-425) This inventionrelates to stands whose size and shape can be readily adjusted to best permit the same to mount equipment such as cameras, lights, microphones and the like.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel and preferably collapsible stand which can be readily converted by a simple adjustment from an essentially vertical support to a boom stand.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stand of the above type comprising a plurality of sections which can be collapsed with respect to one another to form a compact, portable unit.

Still another object is to provide a stand comprising two sections and a novel connecting means for said sections, said connecting means in one position thereof mounting said sections coaxially so that one section can telescope within the other, and in another position thereof mounting said sections angularly with respect to one another so that one section becomes a boom upon the other.

A further object is to provide a boom stand having an adjustable leg section, a lower section, an upper section and means for mounting said upper section on said lower section so as to permit the former to be either an upright, essentially vertical extension of the latter or to be a boom supported by the latter, said leg section, in one position thereof, providing a symmetrical support for the stand and, in another position thereof, providing an asymmetrical support which gives added load capacity and stability to the stand when the latter is in its boom position.

These and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the product possessing the features, properties and the relation of components which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation view of a stand embodying the present invention and shown in its boom position, the leg section being shown in full in its symmetrical position and in phantom in its asymmetrical position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section and partly in a side elevation, of the novel means for connecting the upper section of the stand to the lower section thereof, and showing said means when the stand is in boom position;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation view of the connecting means of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the upper section of the stand in upright telescoping position;

Fig. 5 is a plan view, partially in section, showing the lower portion of the stand and the construction of the legs thereof;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation view of an element of the means for connecting the upper and lower sections of the stand;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the element of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, elevational view of the connecting means, shown in section, taken substantially along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown by way of example a lightweight stand which embodies the present invention and which is of a type that can be collapsed into a compact unit having an overall length which is only a small fraction of the length of the stand in its fully expanded condition. The stand, in its expanded condition, can be readily adjusted to various heights and, by means of a simple, further adjustment, can be made to become either a vertical support or a boom stand. As shown, the stand comprises a leg section 10 (Fig. 1), a lower section 12, to which said leg section is secured, and an upper section 14 mounted upon said lower section. Securing together sections 12 and 14 is a novel connecting means 16 which permits said sections to assume either a telescoping, coaxial position with respect to one another or an angular position in which section 14 is supported as a boom by section 12.

Each of sections 12 and 14 may comprise one or more segments, and, as shown, lower section 12 consists of three segments, 12a, 12b and 12c, and upper section 14 consists of two segments, 14a and 14b. For optimum portability and compactness, each of said segments is so constructed as to telescope within its next lower segment, being preferably tubular in cross-section and having a sufliciently smaller diameter than the next lower segment to fit therein. Thus, in its collapsed condition, the stand assumes a length which is not greatly in excess of the length of only one of said segments.

The segments of each section can be extended just short of complete withdrawal and no farther. To this end, a collar 20 is preferably rigidly secured at the upper end of each of segments 12a, 12b and 14a as by a force. fit and a suitable shoulder or other protuberance is provided on the lower end of the segment which is slidably mounted in said collar. These are adapted to engage and prevent the segment from being completely withdrawn from its companion segment.

To fix each segment in any predetermined axial position with respect to the segment within which it telescopes, there is preferably provided in each of collars 20 a thumb lock screw 22 which can be screwed into holding engagement with the segment that extends through said collar. Each of lock screws 22, as well as all other screws which serve to lock the various parts of the stand, is preferably anchored in its mating part, as by staking, so that it can screw into and out of holding engagement with the part it is intended to hold, but cannot be fully unscrewed from the part which it is adapted to threadedly engage. 7

Except in one important respect, leg section It) is of a generally conventional collapsible construction comprising a collar member 24 which is slidably mounted upon segment 12:: and which carries a plurality of bifurcated brackets 26. In the form shown, said brackets are an integral part of said collar and there are three in number. To fix collar 24 relative to segment 12a, a thumb screw 32 is threaded in said collar for engagement with said segment. A second sleeve or collar 28 is aflixed to the lower end of segment 12a, being held against movement, and is also equipped with three bifurcated brackets 30. Each of brackets 26 pivotally mounts a leg member, and each of brackets 30 pivotally mounts a truss member. Each of said truss members is secured to one of said leg members intermediate the ends of the latter. The construction and interconnection of two of said leg members 34 and two of said trusses 36 is essentially identical, but, to impart greater stability to the stand and to improve its load capacity in boom position, the structure and interconnection of the remaining leg 38 and the remaining truss 40 is somewhat different. The connection between truss 40 and leg 38 is formed so as to permit the leg to be adjusted to two different positions with respect to said truss. In the form shown, this novel connection comprises a slot 42 which extends longitudinally of leg 38 intermediate the ends thereof. A thumbscrew 44 preferably extends through said slot and is threaded into the end of said truss. To provide a more positive engagement between the truss and the leg in the two desired positions of these members, the opposite ends of the slot are preferably enlarged and the shank of the threaded portion of thumbscrew 44, where it joins the head of the screw, is preferably tapered somewhat so that when said thumbscrew is screwed into truss 4i? opposite one of said enlarged ends this tapered portion is forced into the enlarged ends of the slot to positively secure the members together. This fixes the truss against accidcntal dislodgment as might occur if friction alone were relied upon for the holding force. Another advantage of a taper at the shank of the screw is that it prevents the screw from being accidentally turned by the turning movement of the leg relative to the truss as the legs are folded and unfolded.

Each of trusses 36 is pivotally secured to one of legs 34 intermediate the ends of the latter. When truss 40 is connected to leg 38 so that the end of said truss is opposite the upper end of slot 42, all three leg and truss combinations are symmetrically arranged with respect to segment 12a, and with this leg arrangement said segment is maintained in a vertical position as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. However, when truss 49 is secured to leg 33, so that it is opposite the lower end of slot 42, the angle which leg 38 makes with segment 12a is somewhat greater than the angle which the two remaining legs make with said segment, thereby tilting segment 12a backward with respect to said leg 38 in the plane of said leg and segment as shown in phantom lines in Fig. l.

The novel connecting means 16 which permits the ready adjustment of the stand from a simple, vertical upright to a boom stand preferably comprises a bracket 50 secured to the upper end of segment 120 of section 12. As shown, said bracket comprises 21 depending, generally cylindrical portion 52 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) which surrounds the upper end of segment 12c and is fixed thereon as by means of a force fit. A thumb nut screw 53 is threadedly mounted in said cylindrical portion and is adapted to extend into segment 12c to engage and hold segment 14a relative thereto. A pair of generally parallel walls 54 extend upwardly and laterally from said cylindrical portion 52 and are preferably integrally formed therewith, and a transverse cross-bar 56 connects together the upper ends of said walls. The separation between the interior surfaces of walls 54 is appreciably greater than the diameter of segment 14a. Mounted between said walls for pivotal and longitudinal movement is a connecting element 58. The latter is in the form of a block and has a pair of slots 60 formed in the side walls thereof and extending longitudinally thereof. These slots are of generally similar shape and are directly opposite one another, and a pair of pins 62 and 64 (Fig. 3) extend through the side walls 54 of bracket 50 to engage said slots. Pin 62 is an extension of an element rigidly fixed in one of walls 54, and pin 64 constitutes the inner end of a thumbserew 66 threadedly mounted in one of walls 54. Thumbscrew 66 can be moved axially by rotation into engagement with segment 14a to secure the latter in any desired position with respect to bracket 50 but the movement of thumbscrew 66 is limited so that at no time is the end thereof out of engagement with slot 60 of member 58.

A hole or bore 68 sufficiently large to slidably receive segment 14a is preferably provided in element 58, said bore having its axis extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of slots 60 and being located essentially between said slots. As shown, segment 14a is slidably mounted in said bore. The lower end of segment 14a is preferably provided with a short length 76 of enlarged diameter. The lower end of bore 68 is also preferably of enlarged size so as to slidably receive said enlarged portion 71). in its fully extended position, segment 14:: has the lower end thereof substantially flush with the lower surface of element 58 but is held against further withdrawal by the engagement of the upper end of enlarged portion 70 with the lower end of that portion of bore 63 which is of reduced diameter. It is to be noted that when segment 14a is in this fully extended position, it is clear of segment 120.

Front end 72 of element 58 is preferably semi-cylindrical in shape. As shown in Fig. 4, when segment 14a is held by connecting means 16 in position to telescope within segment .120, that is, when upper section 14 is a vertical extension of lower section 12, the location of pins 64 and 62 is such that the rear ends of slots 60 are essentially in engagement with said pins. To this end, said pins are mounted somewhat to the rear of the longitudinal axis of segment 12c. So long as segment 14a is slidably inserted in segment 12c, element 58 is held against any appreciable transverse movement. However, when segment 14a is fully withdrawn so that its lower end is flush with the bottom of element 58 and it is substantially free of the upper end of segment 120, said element 58 is free to move transversely to the rear until pins 62 and 64- engage the front ends of said slots. In this position, element 58 is free to pivot in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 4) to the position shown in Fig. 2. When said element is so pivoted, segment 14a, slidably carried thereby, is also pivoted thereby causing section 14 to assume a boom position.

To permit section 14 to be adjusted to and to be held in various angular positions in its boom condition, novel means are provided for engaging and holding the lower end of section 14 when the latter is slid to a point where its end is below cross-bar 56. In the form shown, said means comprise a screw member '76 threadedly extending through said cross-bar and having mounted at its lower end a bearing member 78 shaped like an inverted wing-nut. Bearing member 78 is so secured to the end of threaded element '76 as to be fixed for longitudinal movement, along with said element, but is free of rotation relative to said element. As a result, rotation of element 76 can raise and lower bearing member 78 without turning the latter. Bearing member 78 engages segment 14a and the wing portions of said bearing member are adapted to extend on opposite sides of said segment 14a to hold the latter and connecting element 58 against turning movement in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. a. The weight of the boom section 14- maintains the lower end thereof in frictional engagement with bearing member 78 so that said section 14 is also effectively held against slidable, as well as angular, movement. To permit threaded element 76 to be readily adjusted axially, a suitable enlarged head portion 30 is provided which may be readily engaged manually to control the position of said threaded element 76 with respect to cross-bar 56, thereby permitting ready adjustment of the angular position of section 14 in its boom position.

To return section 14 to an upright position. said section is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 2) to free the lower end thereof from bearing member 78 and is then slid to the right until head position 70 nests in element 58. Angular movement is then continued until section 14 becomes substantially parallel to section 12. Connecting element 58 is then slide forward until sections 12 and 14 are substantially coaxial, segment 14 being then slid into segment 120.

Since certain changes may be made in the above product without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. A stand for microphones, lighting equipment and the like comprising, in combination, two sections constituting a principal portion of the supporting structure of said stand and means connecting together said sections to permit one of said sections to be either a substantially continuous extension of the other or a boom mounted upon the other, said connecting means comprising a bracket rigidly secured to one end of a first of said sections, a connecting element having a recess therein for slidably mounting the second of said sections, and means mounting said connecting element for pivotal and transverse movement relative to said bracket, said mounting means comprising a pair of openings in one of said bracket and connecting element and a pair of members carried by the other of said bracket and connecting element engaged for pivotal and transverse movement in said openings, each of said openings being larger in at least one dimension than the member engaged therein to permit both transverse and pivotal movement of said member in said opening, said connecting element, in a first position thereof, having the axis of the recess therein so related to the axisof said first section that said second section is a substantial extension of said first section and, in a second position thereof, being displaced transversely and angularly with respect to said first section and having the axis of said recess so inclined to the axis of said first section that said second section is angularly disposed relative to said first section.

2. A stand for microphones, lighting equipment and the like comprising, in combination, two sections constituting a principal portion of the supporting structure of said stand and means connecting together said sections to permit one of said sections to be either a substantially continuous extension of the other or a boom mounted upon the other, said connecting means comprising a bracket rigidly secured to one end of a first of said sections, a connecting element having a recess therein for slidably mounting the second of said sections, means mounting said connecting element for pivotal and transverse movement relative to said bracket, said connecting element, in a first position. thereof, having the axis of the recess therein so related to the axis of said first section that said second section is a substantial extension of said first section and, in a second position thereof, being displaced transversely and anglilarly with respect to said first position and having the axis of said recess so inclined to-the axis of said first section that said second section is angularly disposed relative to said first section, said mounting means for said connecting element comprising a pair of openings on opposite sides of said element and a pair of pins carried by said bracket in engagement in said openings, each of said, openings being larger in at least one dimension than the diameter of the pin engaged therein so as to permit both transverse and pivotal movement of said carrying element relative to said bracket.

3. A stand for microphones, lighting equipment and the like comprising, in combination, two sections constituting a principal portion of the supporting structure of said stand and means connecting together said sections to permit one of said sections to be either a substantially continuous extension of the other or a boom mounted upon the other, said connecting means comprising a bracket rigidly secured to one end of a first of said sections, a connecting element having a recess therein for slidably mounting the second of said sections, means mounting said connecting element for pivotal and transverse movement relative to said bracket, said connecting element, in a first position thereof, having the axis of the recess therein so related to the axis of said first section that said second section is a substantial extension of said first section and, in a second position thereof, being displaced transversely and angularly with respect to said first position and having the axis of said recess so inclined to the axis of said first section that said second section is angularly disposed relative to said first section, said mounting means for said connecting element comprising a pair of slots on opposite sides of said element, a pair of pins carried by said bracket in sliding engagement with said slots, said pins being substantially coaxial and having their axes substantially perpendicular to the axis of said recess and said slots having their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to one another and substantially perpendicular to the axes of said pins and said recess.

4. A stand for microphones, lighting equipment and the like cmoprising, in combination, two sections constituting a principal portion of the supporting structure of said stand and means connecting together said sections to permit one of said sections to be either a substantially continuous extension of the other or a boom mounted upon the other said connecting means comprising a bracket rigidly secured to one end of a first of said sections, a connecting element having a recess therein for slidably mounting the second of said sections, means mounting said connecting element for pivotal and transverse movement relative to said bracket, said connecting element, in a first position thereof, having the axis of the recess therein so related to the axis of said first section that said second section is a substantial extension of said first section and, in a second position thereof, being displaced transversely and angularly with respect to said first position and having the axis of said recess so inclined to the axis of said first section that said second section is angularly disposed relative to said first section, and means mounted upon said bracket in engagement with said second section for holding said second section in its angular position, said last-named means comprising an adjustable member capable of movement relative to said bracket to adjust the angularity of said second section relative to said first section.

5. A stand for microphones, lighting equipment and the like comprising, in combination, two sections constituting a principal portion of the supporting structure of said stand .and means connecting together said sections to permit one of said sections to be either a substantially continuous extension of the other or a boom mounted upon the other, said connecting means comprising a bracket rigidly secured to one end of a first of said sections, a connecting element having a recess therein for slidably mounting the second of said sections, and means mounting said connecting element for pivotal and transverse movement relative to said bracket, said mounting means comprising a pair of slots in one of said bracket and connecting element and a pair of members carried by the other of said bracket and connecting element slidably and pivotally engaged in said slots, said connecting element, in a first position thereof, having the axis of the recess therein so related to the axis of said first section that said second section is a substantial extension of said first section and, in a second position thereof, being displaced transversely and angularly with respect to said first position and having the axis of said recess so inclined to the axis of said first section that said second section is angularly disposed relative to said first section, each of said sections comprising a plurality of segments capable of telescoping within one another to provide for the collapse of said sections to a length which is only a fraction of the total length of said sections in their extended position.

6. A stand for microphones, lighting equipment and being so dimensioned as to be capable of slidably receiving the other, said connecting means comprising a bracket rigidly secured to one end of a first of said sections, a connecting element having a recess therein for slidably mounting the second of said sections, and means mounting said connecting element for pivotal and transverse movement relative to said bracket, said mounting means comprising a pair of slots in one of said bracket and connecting element and a pair of members carried by the other of said bracket and connecting element slidably and pivotally engaged in said slots, said connecting element, in a first position thereof, having its recess substantially coaxial with the axis of said first section so that said sections can telescope within one another, said connecting element limiting the slidable movement of said second section in a direction away from said first section so that the extreme position of said second section in this direction is with its end just free of said first section, said connecting element and said second section being capable, when the latter is in said extreme position, of movement together as a unit in a transverse and pivotal direction relative to said first section whereupon said second section assumes an angular position with respect to said first section.

7. A stand for microphones, lighting equipment and the like comprising, in combination, two sections constituting a principal portion of the supporting structure of said stand and means connecting together said sections to permit one of said sections to be either a substantially continuous extension of the other or a boom mounted upon the other, one of said sections being tubular and being so dimensioned as to be capable of slidably receiving the other, said connecting means comprising a bracket rigidly secured to one end of a first of said sections, a connecting element having a recess therein for slidably mounting the second of said sections, means mounting said connecting element for pivotal and transverse movement relative to said bracket, said connecting element, in a first position thereof, having its recess substantially coaxial with the axis of said first section so that said sections can telescope within one another, said connecting element limiting the slidable movement of said second section in a direction away from said first section so that the extreme position of said second section in this direction is with its end just free of said first section, said connecting element and said second section being capable, when the latter is in said extreme position, a movement together as a unit in a transverse and pivotal direction relative to said first section whereupon said second section assumes an angular position with respect to said first section, said mounting means for said connecting element comprising a pair of slots on opposite sides of said element, and a pair of pins carried by said bracket in engagement with said slots, said pins being substantially coaxial and having their axes substantially perpendicular to the axis of said recess and said slots having their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to one another and substantially perpendicular to the axes of said pins and said recess.

8. A stand for microphones, lighting equipment and the like comprising, in combination, two sections constituting a principal portion of the supporting structure of said stand and means connecting together said sections to permit one of said sections to be either a substantially continuous extension of the other or a boom mounted upon the other, one of said sections being tubular and being so dimensioned as to be capable of slidably receiving the other, said connecting means comprising a bracket rigidly secured to one end of a first of said sections, a connecting element having a recess therein for slidably mounting the second of said sections, means mounting said connecting element for pivotal and transverse movement relative to said bracket, said connecting element, in a first position thereof, having its recess substantially coaxial with the axis of said first section so that said sections can telescope within one another, said connecting element limiting the slidable movement of said second section in a direction away from said first section so that the extreme position of said second section in this direction is with its end just free of said first section, said connecting element and said second section being capable, when the latter is in said extreme position, of movement together as a unit in a transverse and pivotal direction relative to said first section whereupon said second section assumes an angular position with respect to said first section, and means mounted upon said bracket for holding said second section in its angular position, said lastnamed means comprising an adjustable member capable of movement relative to said bracket to adjust the angularity of said second section relative to said first section.

9. A stand for microphones, lighting equipment and the like comprising, in combination, two sections constituting a principal portion of the supporting structure of said 'stand and means connecting together said sections to permit one of said sections to be either a substantially continnons extension of the other or a boom mounted upon the other, one of said sections being tubular and being so dimensioned as to be capable of slidably receiving the other, said connecting means comprising a bracket rigidly secured to one end of a first of said sections, a connecting element having a recess therein for slidably mounting the second of said sections, means mounting said connecting element for pivotal and transverse movement relative to said bracket, said connecting element, in a first position thereof, having its recess substantially coaxial with the axis of said first section so that said sections can telescope within one another, said connecting element limiting the slidable movement of said second section in a direction away from said first section so that the extreme position of said second section in this direction is with its end just free of said first section, said connecting element and said second section being capable, when the latter is in said extreme position, of movement together as a unit in a transverse and pivotal direction relative to said first section whereupon said section assumes an angular position with respect to said first section, and means mounted upon said bracket for holding said second section in its angular position, said last-named means comprising a screw member threaded in said bracket and a bearing member mounted on the end of said screw member for axial movement with said screw member but free for rotation relative to said screw member whereupon rotation of said screw member moves it, together with said bearing member, axially, said bearing member being adapted to engage and hold said second section in its angular position and to adjust the angllarity of the latter with respect to said first section.

10. A stand for microphones, lighting equipment and the like comprising, in combination, two sections constituting a principal portion of the supporting structure of said stand and means connecting together said sections to permit one of said sections to be either a substantially continuous extension of the other or a boom mounted upon the other, one of said sections being tubular and being so dimensioned as to be capable of slidably receiving the other, said connecting means comprising a bracket rigidly secured to one end of a first of said sections, a connecting element having a recess therein for slidably mounting the second of said sections, and means mounting said connecting element for pivotal and transverse movement relative to said bracket, said mounting means comprising a pair of slots in one of said bracket and connecting element and a pair of members carried by the other of said bracket and connecting element slidably and pivotally engaged in said slots, said connecting element, in a first position thereof, having its recess substantially coaxial with the axis of said first section so that said sections can telescope within one another, said connecting element limiting the slidable movement of 9 said second section in a direction away from said first section so that the extreme position of said second section in this direction is with its end just free of said first section, said connecting element and said second section being capable, when the latter is in said extreme position, of movement together as a unit in a transverse and pivotal direction relative to said first section whereupon said second section assumes an angular position with respect to said first section, each of said sections comprising a plurality of segments capable of telescoping within one another to provide for the collapse of said sections to a length which is only a fraction of the total length of said sections in their extended position.

Referenees Cited in the file of this patent,

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

